Founded in 1950, at the 7th congress of the history of religions in Amsterdam, IAHR, the International Association for the History of Religions, is a worldwide body of member associations and affiliates dedicated to the scientific study of religion. With its more than 40 national and regional member associations and four affiliated societies, the IAHR is the preeminent international forum for the critical, analytical and cross-cultural study of religion past and present. The IAHR is not a forum for confessional, apologetical, or other similar concerns. Read more…

Founded in 1950, at the 7th international congress of the history of religions in Amsterdam, IAHR, the International Association for the History of Religions, is a worldwide body of member associations and affiliates dedicated to the scientific study of religion.

Welcome to the International Association for the History of Religions

IAHR promotes the scientific study of religion assisting the international collaboration of all scholars, member and affiliate societies contributing to the historical, social, and comparative study of religion. It does so by holding congresses and conferences, by encouraging the publication of Proceedings of such, by way of IAHR related publications like the international journal NVMEN and an IAHR book series, by its Bulletins and e-Bulletins, and by supporting the formation of national and regional associations for the scientific study of religion.

It was with great sadness that we learned of the passing of Professor Jonathan Z. Smith, an Honorary Life Member of the IAHR, on December 30. Professor Smith contributed longstanding service to both the IAHR and the North American Association for the Study of Religion (an IAHR regional member). His legacy will encourage all of us to strive to promote an analytic and critical approach to the study of religion. We will sorely miss him. An obituary will appear in NVMEN soon. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his wife and family.

IAHR Congresses & Conferences

The IAHR Quinquennial World Congresses constitute milestones in the history of the IAHR and the international study of religion, and in addition, the IAHR Special and Regional Conferences help promote and support the scientific study of religions in various countries and regions around the world.